SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A man convicted in a beating death that occurred during a house party in eastern Washington state has been sentenced to two years in prison.
The Spokesman-Review reports 20-year-old Christian Palmer was sentenced last week after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter in the death of 53-year-old Terry Toner in August 2017.
Palmer was previously charged with second-degree murder, but the charge was downgraded following a plea deal with prosecutors.
According to court documents, a fight broke out at a party in Airway Heights between Palmer and 20-year-old Brandon Pierce.
Authorities say Toner tried to intervene but was beaten to death with the bat.
Palmer’s attorney claimed in court filings that Toner was the aggressor and drunkenly confronted them.
Pierce is scheduled to go to trial next month.
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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com
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